as in corrupting
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
by insisting that she pay me for helping her, she subverted my noble desire to do a good deed without reward
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Recent Examples of subverting
The inaugural season was about subverting expectations.
—
Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
In the Placer County foothills, one winery is subverting expectations and offering wine tasting experiences at a staggeringly low cost.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Buddy embraces the aesthetic of classic children’s television —complete with catchy songs and familiar tropes — before subverting it with a relentless descent into madness.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
Hoja has been subverting confident authorities for at least seven centuries, while refusing to be pinned down, even as a hero.
—Perin Gürel, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
But artists are often great at subverting expectations, and the Renaissance Society, a beloved arts venue at the University of Chicago known for its brainy exhibitions, has for several years now invited artists to direct its annual benefit, known around town as the RenBen.
—Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
This implied the Blackness of God, subverting cultural representations of the deity as white and possibly European.
—Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Instead, these public dollars went to a DeSantis political fund aimed at subverting ballot measures to legalize private use of marijuana and constitutionalize women’s ability to access reproductive health care.
—Howard L. Simon, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
While fashion has a long history of subverting religious motifs, Spradlin said the colors reflect a shift to sincerity, adding that Gen Z and millennials are outpacing older cohorts in church attendance.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 12 Mar. 2026
Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
In the Placer County foothills, one winery is subverting expectations and offering wine tasting experiences at a staggeringly low cost.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Buddy embraces the aesthetic of classic children’s television —complete with catchy songs and familiar tropes — before subverting it with a relentless descent into madness.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
Hoja has been subverting confident authorities for at least seven centuries, while refusing to be pinned down, even as a hero.
—Perin Gürel, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
But artists are often great at subverting expectations, and the Renaissance Society, a beloved arts venue at the University of Chicago known for its brainy exhibitions, has for several years now invited artists to direct its annual benefit, known around town as the RenBen.
—Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
This implied the Blackness of God, subverting cultural representations of the deity as white and possibly European.
—Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Instead, these public dollars went to a DeSantis political fund aimed at subverting ballot measures to legalize private use of marijuana and constitutionalize women’s ability to access reproductive health care.
—Howard L. Simon, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
While fashion has a long history of subverting religious motifs, Spradlin said the colors reflect a shift to sincerity, adding that Gen Z and millennials are outpacing older cohorts in church attendance.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subverting
Verb
-
An early discussion about social contracts comes down to us in Plato’s dialogue Crito in which Socrates, condemned to death for allegedly corrupting the youth, refused an offer to escape from prison.—
George G. Szpiro,
Big Think,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Meanwhile, the Pima County Sheriff Office investigating Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance is facing troubles of its own, as a former sheriff has accused current leadership of ‘corrupting’ the crime scene, and a deputy has been arrested and fired on a kidnapping charge.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
By degrading and recycling the mucus layer, Akkermansia stimulates the gut to produce fresh, healthy mucus — repairing the intestinal barrier and preventing leaky gut.—
Shimite Obialo,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
Beaches are routinely left covered in trash that washes into the ocean, degrading habitat and threatening marine animals through ingestion and entanglement.—
Letters To The Editor,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
Brooks Koepka, who rejoined the PGA Tour from LIV Golf in January, withdrew from the Charles Schwab Challenge at the last minute despite being originally scheduled to play, further weakening the field.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 May 2026
-
Second, some worry that some of the financial safeguards and market disciplines developed after previous crises may be weakening.—
Robert Ginsburg,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
He was also found guilty of perverting the court of justice.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The brand, which was based on changing the status quo and perverting common ideas, was a success and Babenzien learned how to build a business.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
It was compounded when a West Contra Costa storage unit caught fire, destroying Alvin’s belongings, their mother testified.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
Truly domesticating bees required a hive with movable frames, one that would allow beekeepers to examine their bees and harvest honey without destroying the colony.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
That was always my big fear about this season—that as exciting as the early episodes were, those high-profile exits were diluting the cast and leaving us with players that we, as viewers, were not fully invested in.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
-
Build an army of agents that scale your presence without diluting your essence.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
The project, which began with foundation work in 2022 and expanded to roadway construction in 2023, includes replacing the deteriorating bridge deck, widening shoulders and adding carpool lanes in both directions.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
22 May 2026
-
The technical setup is deteriorating, too, as fewer stocks participate in the rally and momentum stalls.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
The 2026 State of the Union speech stands in contrast, a speech by a mendacious demagogue who has degraded his listeners by debauching their instincts.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subverting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subverting. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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